NUMBER XVII.

To JEOFFRY WAGSTAFFE, Efq. SIR,

OWN myself particularly pleafed with a

true characteristical panegyric on that fublime, and nervous orator, Mr. Flood, in laft Saturday's Freeman. The noble author, (L-d Chant) who affumes the name of Tacitus, poffeffes, in an eminent degree, both the fententious precifion of the hiftorian, and the fentimental tafte of Longinus.-The following extract from his claffical epiftle, will furnish the best proof of my affertion.

“I

have heard much of Demofthenes, from the "teftimony of his contemporaries; of Cicero, " from his own. They were the ornaments of "the moft refined ages of antiquity;-Mr. "Flood is the ornament of an age ftill more

refined his taste is manly, his images are just-his knowledge accurate and extenfive. "As the fubject requires it, he ftrikes you "down of a fudden, with the strong quick "lightning of the Athenian orator; or confumes you with the flow, fteady conflagration

F 3

"of the Roman. If Longinus were now 66 living, he would join me in ftamping both "these characters on Mr. Flood, as readily as "he bestowed them feparately on Demons"thenes and Tully."

It is my utmoft ambition, fir, to illuftrate the juft and beautiful fentiments of this judicious critic, by giving them a poetical dress: you, Mr. Wagftaffe, will have another opportunity of convincing the public of your impartiality and candour, by inferting the inclosed verfes, and treating with proper deference and refpect, a man, who by the most vigorous and perfevering efforts, in every noble study and fcience that can accomplish the orator, has at laft attained the fummit of perfection, and, is now become the fcourge of corruption, the terror of the court, the champion of his country, and the pillar of oppofition. I could fay much more on fo inexhauftible, and agreeable a fubject, but I juft recollect Pliny's maxim, "Amici eft, ne quenquam onerare laudibus.”

I am, fir, yours,

PHILO TACITUS.

To HY F——D, Esq.

FD, thou genius of the age,
Hibernia's exultation!

You ftrike us with the lightning's rage;
• Confume by conflagration.

By mere distortion you arose,
True eloquence to spout;
As mufic from a cymbal flows,
By winding it about.

Your tafte is manly ;-figures juft,
Which spring from objects local ;
Your tropes like to a torrent burst,
"And make the benches vocal.”

As tumblers ftretch their natʼral fize,
By ftraining every joint ;

So you from Truth, can fubtilize,
To reach a fav'rite point.

Were Fd's, like Cori'lanus' fpite,
The French might foon come over ;
With him from Calais fail at night,
And next day land at Dover.

The fouth and weft of Ireland's coaft,

By geography, you'd fhun;

Nor to attain that deftined poft,
Thro' English Channel run.
F 4

Whiskey

Whiskey and Freedom's all your cry,

Your praise Timoleon's cafe ;
Who thank'd the gods with upcaft eyes,
When knaves fpit in his face.

You ever fcorn, with laurels wreath'd,
Court funfhine, or its forms

;

As hardy hips, in copper sheath'd,
Defy both waves and worms.

Beyond DEMOSTHENES you rear,
In action outdo TULLY;

Whilft Fame proclaims from shore to shore,
Our ORATOR, and BULLY.

If Athens yet in arts had fhone,

She'd yield the palm, tho' loath;
ROME would fuperior CALLAN own,
PARNASSUS bow to HowTH.

Let all be hufh'dHe means to rife;
-The bemming courtiers fees;
Then threats, and MARKS with vengeful eyes
All those who cough or fneeze.

J-s and H-11, with patriots range!
By your invectives drawn;

So cudgell'd pigs their nature change,

And take the name of BRAWN.

You

Your humour new, and poignant wit,
Ev'n H-ch-n could feel!

With fharp, and brilliant pun you hit
That NAVE within the wheel.

O long may Flood the fenate grace.
His country's friend, and darling!
Remain a patriot out of place,
To guard us by his fnarling.

NUMBER XVIII.

Y

Quenquam res agitur folenni feria pompa,
Spernit follicitum intractabilis ille tumultum,
Et rifu importunus adeft, atque oinnia turbat.
MACHINE GESTICULANTES, ADD,

To JEFFERY WAGSTAFFE, Efq.

SIR,

Toa

O a gentleman of your facetious turn, I addrefs myself with little difficulty: both of us lovers of mirth, we cannot divert the public without contributing at the fame time. to our own entertainment: befides, if you are fo good as to usher my humours into the world from the Mercury, I fhall think myself bound, in the honeft hoarfenefs of friendship,